Method and apparatus for dechucking a substrate from an electrostatic chuck
US6628500B1 · kind B1 · utility
11Cited by
3References
9Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 29, 2001 |
| Grant date | Sep 30, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 29, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/6833
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
There is provided a method of dechucking from an electrostatic chuck a substrate held by one or more residual forces to the chuck, the method comprising the steps of: (a) reducing a residual chucking force due to the electrostatic chuck polarisation; (b) contracting the chuck with the substrate attached thereto with a plasma for a time sufficient substantially to remove any residual charge from the surface of the substrate and the chuck; and (c) subsequently to, or simultaneously with, step (b) removing the substrate from the chuck. Also disclosed is an apparatus for performing the method.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.